American Freed; Trump Picks Medal Of Honor Recipient; Send A Troll A Cake: Patch Morning Briefing

Halfway there... Here are some stories to get you started for the day.

Student Released From North Korea In Coma

Otto Wambier, the University of Virginia student held in North Korea for almost a year and a half, is back in Ohio with his family. That's the good news. The tragedy is that he is in a coma and has been for most of the time that he 's been in captivity. (Patch)

Army Medic Will Be First To Receive Medal Of Honor From Trump

James McCloughlan risked his life nine times and sustained three wounds during an intense firefight in Vietnam in 1969. Now, the 71-year-old retired high school teacher will be honored for his service with the nation's highest military honor. (Patch)

Apparently Not Answering Questions Is Not Stonewalling

While the Democrats clearly got under the skin of Attorney General Jeff Sessions who was testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee, he didn't give them any information or answers that they were looking for. So, at the end of the day, Sessions may have come out ahead. (Patch)

Trump Raises Money For Scott Walker

The president was in Wisconsin. Ostensibly, he was there to talk health care and tout his plans to get people employed. But a big part of the visit was a fundraiser for Gov. Scott Walker. (Patch)

Senate Works On Health Care Bill In Secret

As it came out that President Trump thinks the House health care bill could be more generous — with more money put into it — the Senate continues to work on its version in secret. The president, in public, said whatever Congress does needs to be more generous. In private, he apparently called the House version "mean." (Patch)

Trump Lawyer: I Got Preet Fired

ProPublica reports that Marc Kasowitz, Trump's personal lawyer, has boasted about playing a central role in getting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara fired. "This guy is going to get you," he reportedly said he told the president. (ProPublica)

Reward For Georgia Inmates Who Shot, Killed Officers During Escape

Donnie Rowe and Ricky Dubose disarmed two Georgia prison offers and then shot and killed them, according to the Georgia Department of Corrections. There is now a $60,000 reward for information that leads to the capture of what the governor called men who committed a "heinous act." (Patch).

If It Was Tuesday — It Was Election Day Somewhere

And this time it was Virginia. And the race to replace Gov. Terry McAullife will be Ed Gillespie (Republican) vs. Ralph Northam (Democrat). (Patch)

Rough Road For Uber

CEO Travis Kalanick is taking a leave of absence. It's not clear for how long. Meanwhile, a damning report on the company and its workplace culture — detailing allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation, among other issues — was presented to employees. (Patch)

Why A Summer Job At McDonald's Could Be A 'Snap'

The fast food giant is looking to hire 250,000 people this summer. And, being one of those people could be a "snap," as the company is taking "Snapplications" via Snapchat. (Patch)

Live Where Nicolas Cage Lived

That's right. The home that served as his Las Vegas estate — with seven bedrooms, 10 bathrooms and a 10-car garage. A media room. A commercial elevator. And Nicolas Cage lived there. (Patch)

Like Florida Doesn't Have Enough Problems With Snakes And Gators

A woman was driving in Cooper City on Tuesday when a spider dropped onto her leg. Needless to say, she crashed and hit a pole. She was rushed to the hospital, but it turns out she just had minor injuries. As for the spider? A web of mystery. (Patch)

Send A Troll A Cake

Baker Kat Thek — she works out of a mystery kitchen somewhere in New York — will send anyone a cake with their trollish words. You send her $35 and the words the internet troll sent you, and she will send that person a cake with those words. She will even send a cake to the White House. (Patch)

Ice Cream Beer Floats — Need We Say More?

Eight Houston craft breweries are convinced there is nothing better to beat the summer heat. They had a competition in which they used a beer from their own line, ice cream and a variety of extras. Click through to read recipes and who won. (Patch)

On This Day In History

1158 - Munich is founded by Henry the Lion

1775 - The Continental Army is founded

1777 - The Stars and Stripes is adopted as the flag of the United States.

1954 - President Eisenhower signs a law adding "under God" into the Pledge of Allegiance

1959 - The monorail opens at Disneyland (the first monorail in the Western Hemisphere)

1967 - China detonates a hydrogen bomb

Born On This Day

1864 - Scientist Alois Alzheimer

1925 - Former White House press secretary and reporter Pierre Salinger

1932 - Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio

1946 - President Trump

1961 - Singer Boy George

See you back here tomorrow!

Image: Pixabay